St Pat’s Day Parade In Queens

St Pat’s For All Parade & Political Pageantry

March 5, 2013 / Ethnic Culture in Queens / Sunnyside & Woodside / Queens Buzz. I attended the St Pat’s For All Parade in Queens on Sunday afternoon. It was a crisp Spring day, with temperatures in the 40’s, and even warmer in the ample sunshine. They had scheduled an Irish cultural celebration to begin at 12.30 pm, followed by the parade which was to begin at 2 pm.

The celebration included a number of Irish dances performed by Niall O’Leary’s School of Irish Dance and Caroline Duggan and the Keltic Dreams of PS 59 in the Bronx [see photo]. There were also musical performances by several groups, including the Brian Fleming Band which has been a regular performer at the St Pat’s For All Parade for years.

And of course there were speeches ... click here to read the rest of our report about, and view our photos of the St Pat’s Parade in Queens, including a photo slide show.

Chinese New Year Parade Queens

The Year of the Snake is Good for Business

Updated March 10, 2013 / February 4, 2013 / Flushing / Chinese Culture in Queens / Queens Buzz. I have become a big fan of the Chinese New Year Parade in Flushing. Some reporters have estimated that about 4,000 people march in the parade, but we’re beginning to believe that this number is inflated. And we estimate that north of 10,000 people come to watch it. In the years I’ve been covering the parade, it seems that each year the crowd gets larger. But thankfully, there’s still plenty of space to find a good viewing location, because the parade route spans between one and two miles.

This year I gained a little deeper understanding of the Chinese New Year traditions, as fell into a conversation about them with a former resident of Shanghai, who recently immigrated here. She told me about some of the traditions that accompany the Chinese New Year celebrations.

Click here to read the rest of our report about and photos of the Chinese New Year Parade Queens in Flushing, including a photo slide show.

Chinese New Year Parade Flushing NYC

Queens Chinese New Year Parade & Flushing Asian Community

February 14, 2013 / Flushing / Queens History / Queens Buzz. This report provides a brief overview of the Chinese New Year Parade in Flushing & Queens.  The year is 4710 and it is the year of the Snake.

The Chinese New Year Parade times, route and viewing locations are included in this report for your convenience, along with photos from prior years as well as links to reports from prior years.  You'll also find related information such as info about Flushing shopping and Queens restaurants.

Click here for our report about the 2013 Chinese New Year Parade in Flushing Queens.

Holiday Tree Lightings In Queens

Xmas Tree & Other Holiday Lightings In Queens

December 7, 2012 / Queens Neighborhoods / Queens Buzz.  This is a compendium of holiday tree lightings, Xmas or Christmas tree lightings, Hannukah candle lightings and Kwanzaa celebrations in Queens - including the neighborhoods of Astoria, Corona, Flushing, Jackson Heights, Jamaica, Sunnyside and Woodside.

Click here for a schedule of the Xmas / Christmas Tree & Holiday Lighting events in Queens.

Holiday Tree Lighting In Sunnyside

Where Old & New Stand Side By Side

November 27, 2012 / Sunnyside Neighborhood / Queens Buzz. I attended the Christmas Tree lighting at Sabba Park at Queens Blvd and 50th Street in Sunnyside on Tuesday evening.

It’s a traditional holiday celebration that has gone on for many years and includes performances by the Sunnyside Drum Corps, a choral performance by the LIC YMCA, hot chocolate, several short speeches by local dignitaries, an appearance by Santa and … [drum roll] … the tree lighting.

As usual, the weather was drizzling for the occasion. And while it was damp and cold, there was some warmth in the air that came from those who attended.

Click here for the rest of our report, including photo slide show of the Christmas Tree Lighting in Sunnyside.

Hispanic Parade In Jackson Heights

Kaleidoscope of Costumes & Dance Performances By Latin Cultures

September 24, 2012 / Jackson Heights / Ethnic & Religious Cultures in Queens / Queens Buzz. On Sunday I went to Jackson Heights to watch the Hispanic Day Parade. The aesthetics of the parade provided a vibrant peek into the many cultures of our Latin neighbors who live here in Queens; and whose nations collectively represent our fastest growing and largest trading partners.

It was a beautiful sunny dry day, with highs in the high 70's. The parade started at 12 noon, lead in part by NYS Senator Jose Peralta and City Councilmember Danny Dromm. I settled in along the street side and struck up a conversation with a woman in the audience. We began talking about Latin cultures as the floats and performers came passing by.

In the photo to your right are some of the parade participants, who performed traditional dances in tune with the music. Click here to read the rest of our report and view a photo slide show of the Hispanic Day Parade in Jackson Heights.

Rosh Hashanah – Jewish New Year 5773

Chabad LIC & The Jewish New Year

September 18, 2012 / Long Island City / Ethnic & Religious Culture in Queens / Queens Buzz. This report is about the significance of Rosh Hashanah in the Jewish faith, and includes information about the Chabad LIC community center. The report is based upon a visit I had with Rabbis Zev Wineberg and Yitzchok Moully at the Chabad LIC Center opening on September 22nd, 2011, and includes photos taken at that time.

I arrived at the Chabad LIC community center about mid evening. Rabbi Zev welcomed me into the center where there was a small gathering of friends and neighbors who had gathered to celebrate the opening of the center. Forty families have come together since Rabbi Zev and his wife Rivka arrived in Long Island City in December of 2006. Their friend, Rabbi Yitzchok, was also in attendance. Rabbi Yitzchok is also an artist and he depicts scenes and objects from Orthodox Jewish life in the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Williamsburg and Crown Heights in pop art silk screens. The photo to your right shows one of his works.

We began discussing the Chabad LIC Center as well as the history and significance of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. Chabad LIC is one of 3,000 Chabad centers around the world.

Click here to learn more about the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah in LIC & Queens, and the Jewish Center in LIC, called Chabad LIC.

Turkish Cultural Center Queens

Ramadan Celebration 2012 in Sunnyside

August 19, 2012 / Sunnyside / Ethnic & Religious Culture / Queens Buzz. Ramadan 2012 began on Friday, July 20th and ended Saturday, August 18th. Ramadan is the holiest month of the Islamic year and it is a time when all Muslims fast. There are a number of similarities between the Ramadan thirty day fasting period and the six week Christian Lenten period of abstinence.

At the end of the fasting period, Muslims celebrate for three days by both welcoming and visiting family and friends in their homes. The end of the fast is called Eid al Fitr, and it began Sunday, August 19th this year.

The Turkish Cultural Center [TCC] of Queens invited the Sunnyside and surrounding community to share in a Ramadan celebration last week at Noonan Park in Sunnyside. I attended the celebration on the last evening, where I met and spoke with Oguztan [pronounced O ooh zan] Turan, president of the TCC Queens.

The goal of the Ramadan Celebration, like many of the Turkish Cultural Center’s programs, is to foster cross cultural interactions to enhance cultural understanding. This has a dual impact, as it helps Turkish immigrants adapt to their new homeland by providing venues for interactions with their American neighbors; and conversely it offers Americans an opportunity to better understand the rich tapestry of the ancient Turkish culture from which the immigrants come.

Click here to read more about the Turkish Cultural Center Queens and the Ramadan Celebration in Sunnyside.

Colombian Parade 2012 & Photos in Queens

Colombian Parade Cheered By Thousands

July 23, 2012 / Jackson Heights / Queens Culture / Queens Buzz. I attended the Colombian Parade in Jackson Heights on Sunday. It turned out to be one of the most exciting parades I've attended in Queens.

Somewhere between five and ten thousand people attended the parade, many of whom have Colombian roots. The parade was exciting because of the crowd’s enthusiasm for the many splendiferous floats and costumed performances given by parade participants they knew personally.

The parade began at 12 noon at 69th Street and Northern Blvd and let me tell you that I’ve never seen Northern Blvd look so good. Click here to read our report and view photos of the Colombian Parade in Jackson Heights 2012.

Astoria Park Fireworks

2012 Astoria Park Fireworks Photos & Brief Report

June 25, 2012 / Astoria / Queens Culture / Queens Buzz.. We tracked the weather on the Doppler radar screen via Queens Buzz [see weather link on right side bar of front page] throughout Monday. The radar successfully predicted that there wouldn’t be any rain Monday night by show time, which is between 9.15 and 9.30 pm.

Nonetheless, we thought the torrential showers that plagued us Monday morning and returned briefly in the early evening, would cause people to shy away from the best Independence Day fireworks display in New York City. Not so.

Jackson Heights LGBT Parade & Photos

Story of the Jackson Heights LGBT Parade 2012

June 3, 2012 / Jackson Heights / Multi-cultural Queens NY / Queens Buzz. It was a perfect day for a parade on Sunday in Jackson Heights. It was sunny, dry with temperatures in the 80's.

And so it was, that the 20th LGBT Parade in Jackson Heights was greeted with warm weather, and likely the biggest audience it has ever had. There were easily thousands, and possibly surpassing ten thousand people in the audience. The parade started on 37th Avenue at 86th Street and ended at 75th Street. The parade ran about two hours, which includes about a half hour of government official speeches given shortly after the start of the parade.

Click here to read our report and view a photos of the Jackson Heights LGBT Parade 2012.

Memorial Day Parade in Woodside

Memorializing A Century Of Neighborhood Service To The Nation

May 28, 2012 / Woodside / Ethnic & Religious Culture in Queens / Queens Buzz.  On Monday I attended the 64th annual Memorial Day Parade in Woodside.  The parade, which dates back to 1948, is sponsored by St. Sebastian’s Catholic War Veterans Post 870.

The Woodside Memorial Day Parade turned out to be a journey back through the last century of wars, in which many of the enlisted men of Woodside played heroic roles.  I found the event was really more than a parade.  It’s a blend of religion, culture and patriotism all rolled up into an historic journey to four Woodside memorial sites, that are dedicated to those who died fighting for the country.

Click here to read the rest of our report and view a slide show of the Memorial Day Parade in Woodside 2012.

St Pats Parade Mixes Pageantry & Politics

March 5, 2012 / Sunnyside & Woodside / Ethnic & Religious Culture / Queens Buzz. It was a beautiful March day, with temperatures in the 40's, as I made my way down to hear the speeches and watch the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Sunnyside and Woodside.

Last year they moved the parade gathering area up a few blocks from 43rd Street to 47th Street. The new location seems to provide a more communal gathering spot than in the middle of one of Sunnyside's busy intersections.

I was amazed at the turn out of potential NYC mayoral candidates. NYC Public Advocate Bill Di Blasio, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, NYC Comptroller John Liu were all in attendance. Notably absent was St Pat's For All Parade regular, City Council Speaker, Christine Quinn. After the parade we contacted her office to inquire why she was absent and were informed that she wasn't feeling well.

Click here to read more about our report on the St Pat's For All Parade in Sunnyside & Woodside Queens. The report includes a slide show with photos of the speakers, warm up performances and parade.

Columbus Day Parade - FIAO

The Federation Of Italian Americans In Queens

Updated October 4, 2012 / October 11, 2011 / Astoria Neighborhood / Ethnic & Religious Culture / Queens Buzz. I attended the Columbus Day Parade in Astoria on Saturday. The parade is organized by the Federation of Italian Americans or FIAO in Queens, an organization that celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.

There were about 1,500 people who marched in the parade which is one of the biggest parades in Queens. As I covered the parade, many of the folks watched the pageantry from along Steinway Street and from cafés along 30th Avenue. It was a sunny, spectacular Indian summer day, with temperatures in the low 80’s and little humidity.

Click here to read our account of the Columbus Day Parade in Astoria Queens, including a photographic slide show and an account of two Italians [Christopher Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci] contributions to the discovery of the Americas.  Click here for details about the Columbus Day Parde 2012.

St Markella Festival In Astoria

14th Century Saint From Greek Island Of Chios Honored

September 19, 2011 / Astoria Neighborhood / Queens Buzz. I visited the parish of St. Markella this Sunday as they were winding down their weekend long celebration in honor of St. Markella. They had closed the block on 26th Street between 23rd Avenue and Ditmars Blvd, creating a warm, relaxing, village-like feel to the public occasion.

The local parishoners had brought home made dishes of stuffed tomatoes, skewered lamb, mixed vegetables, moussaka, baclava and other desserts and delectables to celebrate the occasion. I talked with several people affiliated with the church including Father Michael. And in the report that will follow sometime in the future, we'll provide a bit of history and a slide show of St Markella in Astoria.

Greek Orthodox Easter 2011

St. Demetrios Procession Photos - Astoria

April 22, 2011 / Astoria / Ethnic & Religious Culture / Queens Buzz.  Tonight I attended one of the most interesting religious events of the year – the Holy Friday procession through the streets of Astoria by the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Demetrios.  It’s an ancient tradition, dating back thousands of years, and having come to this country from nearly eight thousand kilometers away.

St Demetrios Church services had begun two hours earlier, commemorating the holiest week of the year, on one of the holiest days of the year.  Holy Friday commemorates the death of Jesus Christ and the procession through the streets is a sort of symbolic funeral procession for Him.

Click here to read more about and view photos of the Greek Orthodox Easter 2011 in Astoria.

Astoria’s Greek Radio Station

Astoria Radio Station Adding AM Band In Queens

January 4, 2011 / Astoria / Queens Buzz. I just returned from a visit to a local, primarily Greek speaking, radio station in Astoria. The station is called Nexus Productions Radio, which is broadcast over the internet, as well as through the airwaves on the AM band.

I had been invited to participate as a guest on one of the station’s English-speaking programs entitled Innovative Business Discussions. The weekly show has been on the air for just over a month, and it’s dedicated to talking about issues associated with running a small business in Queens.

Click here to read the rest of this report, including numerous photos of the Greek speaking radio station in Astoria.

Chinese New Year 2012 in Flushing

Flushing Town Hall - Building Cultural Bridges

January 25, 2012 / Flushing / Ethnic & Religious Culture / Queens Buzz. I attended the opening ceremony at the Flushing Town Hall celebrating the Chinese new year. Flushing Town Hall is a neighborhood and Queens borough cultural center, which has easily become one of the leading places in Queens and NYC, where one can familiarize themselves with authentic Asian cultures.

Flushing Town Hall presents many exhibits and programs, which nurture an environment of cross cultural understanding. They are also an important location for innovative theater performances, jazz, and world music, of which you can read more about by using the search function on this site.

One of the reasons for Flushing Town Hall's emergence as an Asian cultural center is that Flushing is the home to the largest Chinese community in New York, equaling – if not surpassing - Chinatown in Manhattan. And New York City is home to the largest Chinese community outside of China.

This year is 2012 AD in the western world, but to the Chinese this is the lunar year 4709 and the year of the lucky dragon. Steve Chen of Crystal Window & Door Systems in Flushing [current exhibit sponsors], speaks about the Antique Chinese Windows and Doors collection currently on exhibit at Flushing Town Hall.

Click here to read more about the upcoming Chinese New Year Parade 2012 in Flushing Queens and Chinese Culture.

Chinese New Year Parade 2011 Photos

Parade Moved Quickly In Flushing Queens

February 14, 2011 / Flushing / Queens Buzz. First of all I would like to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day. May your loved ones make you happy this day and every day.

We attended the Chinese New Year Parade in Flushing over the weekend and, as usual, it didn't disappoint. We understand that over 5,000 people participated in the parade, wearing fun, colorful, mythological costumes.

Click here to see the photos of the Chinese New Year Parade 2011 in a photo slide show of the event.

Flushing International High School

America's Melting Pot - Alive & Well In Flushing

January 3, 2011 / Flushing / QueensBuzz. I had occasion to witness the success that one of the public high schools in Queens is having in helping the children of new immigrants adapt to their new homeland. Flushing International High School only accepts children of immigrants who have generally been living in the country less than two years and who do not speak the English language very well, if at all.

Within four years, about 65% of these students graduate, speaking fluent English. The graduation rate throughout the rest of the city for comparable schools is 35%. We visited Joseph Luft [Principal] and Lara Evange [Assistant Principal] to take a closer look at what has contributed to their success.

Click here for the rest of the story, including photos, of a report on one of the public high schools in Queens.

LGBT Parade In Jackson Heights

Report & Photos Of LGBT Parade 2011

June 5, 2011 / Jackson Heights / Ethnic Culture / Queens Buzz. I went to photograph the LGBT Parade in Jackson Heights Sunday morning. The parade started at noon along 37th Avenue around 88th Street. It was a beautiful day, with temperatures in the 70’s and a gentle breeze blowing through.

The streets were packed. There were easily thousands in attendance. And it was the one of the longest parades I’ve seen in Queens this year, lasting well in excess of an hour and a half.

Click here to view photos of the LGBT Parade in Jackson Heights and to read more about it.

How To Start A Cultural Movement

Where Art & Culture Meet Immigrant Movement

May 1, 2011 / Jackson Heights & Corona / Ethnic & Religious Culture / Queens Buzz. I was out covering one story when I caught wind of another. The other was the Immigrant Movement which is an art / social experiment going on this year in the Corona neighborhood of Queens.

I happened upon it in late April when I noticed a large crowd standing outside of the Immigrant Movement building in Corona Queens. The crowd had an artsy look - a look I have happened upon in Corona only occasionally ... so far.

It seems the Immigrant Movement is a three party collaboration, lead by performance artist / social activist Tania Bruguera of Cuba. The project is funded by the Queens Museum Of Art which periodically takes avante garde art initiatives, as well as by Creative Time which is a modern art organization in the metro NYC area. This creative approach to art and culture was provocative enough to capture my curiosity, so I stepped through the doorway to find out more.

Click here to read more about the Immigrant Movement in Corona Queens.

Kwanzaa Celebration In Jamaica Queens

January. The Afrikan Poetry Society sponsored a free viewing of the now famous Kwanzaa film entitled 'The Black Candle'. The film is a documentary about the origins of Kwanzaa in the U.S. and around the world. The film shows how African Americans began to reconstruct their culture following four centuries of enslavement and discrimination in this country. The celebration contains many universal guidelines to be used by groups, even nations, struggling to regain their lost freedoms and self-direction. There are lessons in this film for everyone.

Irie Jamboree Reggae Rocks

Jamaica / September 7, 2009. The seventh annual Irie Jamboree rocked Queens this past Sunday. There were some twenty of the top reggae musicians from all over the country and Caribbean who came to play at this increasingly popular concert. Thousands of Queens residents flocked to the concert to enjoy a great day of warm sun, great music and delicious food. The concert was held on the York College Campus in the Jamaica section of Queens ['Jamaica' does seem like a fitting place for a reggae concert]. Spice is shown on the big screen at the Jam. Click here to view a full report and Irie Jamboree 2009 photos. Needless to say, a good time was had by all.

New York Irish Center In LIC

Brings A Bit Of The Old Country To The New One

January 15, 2011 / Long Island City LIC / Queens Buzz. I went to hear Ashley Davis and Cormac De Barra perform at the NY Irish Center in Long Island City. It was my first visit to the center in a while, and the first time I’d attended a cultural event there.

Harpist Cormac De Barra hails from Ireland, while singer, songwriter and guitarist Ashley Davis hails from Kansas. I became fascinated with the Irish harp, as this was my first experience listening to a harpist outside of a major classical concert hall. The Irish harp has long been a symbol associated with Ireland, along with pixies, fairies and Irish tales. The photo to your left shows Cormac playing the Irish harp.

Click here to read more about the Ashley Davis & Cormac De Barra performance at the NY Irish Center in Long Island City, Queens. The report also includes information about the Irish harp, the NY Irish Center and its programs, and a slide show of Cormac playing the Irish harp along with story photos.

Societa Sant' Amato Di Nusco

Century Old Italian Community In Long Island City LIC Queens

November 7, 2010 / Long Island City / Queens Buzz. For some time now I’ve been wanting to do a story about the Societa Sant' Amato di Nusco in Long Island City. I’ve ventured into the clubhouse on more than one occasion, asking permission as I arrived, to do a story sometime in the future. I’ve always been treated respectfully, but never got the story. But as fate would have it, today was different.

While covering the NYC Marathon in Long Island City, I wandered into the Societa Sant' Amato di Nusco. There were people of all ages moving about the Societa’s clubhouse. As the Societa is a private club, everyone there knew that I wasn’t a member, so I was greeted by Frank Stagliano, Secretary of the Club, and Michael Bicchetti, the Maitre D’.

It took a few moments for it to register, but I had met them before and we soon picked up on our past conversations about the society, its origins and its mission today … and that is what this report is about: The Societa Sant' Amato di Nusco of Long Island City in Queens.

New Cultural Center in Sunnyside

Bliss on Bliss Studio Begins to Take Root

February 20, 2012 / Sunnyside / Art in Queens / Queens Buzz. I attended the February exhibit opening reception and musical performances of Bliss on Bliss Studio in Sunnyside. It was my first visit to the studio which opened in October of 2011.

Ged Merino and Carolina Morales are the husband and wife team that run the studio. They met while working at the Metropolitan Museum, married, and are now sharing their bliss with the rest of us who live near Blissville.

The moniker of Blissville predates Sunnyside, and comes from the name of an early 19th century farm owned by Neziah Bliss. The farm was located along the southern edge of the neighborhood. But I digress.

At the February opening reception for its new exihibit, Bliss on Bliss was featuring ten photographers and two groups of musicians. Click here to read more about Bliss on Bliss Studio in Sunnyside.

Sunnyside Christmas Tree Lighting 2011

T'is The Season To Be Jolly

November 28, 2011 / Sunnyside Neighborhood / Queens Buzz. It's hard to believe another year has gone by. On Tuesday, the Queens Chamber of Commerce held its annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony at Sabba Park on Queens Blvd and 50th Street, marking such an occasion.

It was a warm, wet night, with temperatures in the 60's. The rain came down lightly and intermittently, but just enough to ward off any sort of large gathering, like the one that had assembled last year.

Click here to view our report and photo slide show of the Sunnyside Christmas Tree Lighting of 2011.

St Pat's Parade 2011 Photos

Parade In Sunnyside, Woodside & Queens

March 7, 2011 / Sunnyside & Woodside / Queens Buzz. The St. Pat's For All Parade in Sunnyside marched up Skillman Avenue to Woodside in spite of a persistent rain and overcast skies. The event was headlined by the Mayor, the City Council Speaker, two city councilmen, a former police chief and a couple of guests from Ireland.

Of note was Christine Quinn's impassioned speech about eliminating discrimination. This speech was in response to a decision by the St. Patrick's Day Parade organizers in Staten Island to prohibit gays from marching in their parade. A similar decision was made about ten years ago by the Manhattan St. Patrick's Day parade organizers. The St. Pat's For All Parade in Sunnyside & Woodside does not prohibit gays from marching in its parade.

Given the inclement weather and shortened parade route [all parade routes have been shortened by 25% this year], there appeared to be far fewer parade watchers, but that didn't seem to dampen anyone's spirits [pun intended]. Shortly after the parade ended a great downpour came, telling us all that the parade was over. I guess our Irish guests brought along a bit of weather from the old country.

Click here to view a slide show of St Patrick's Day Parade photos 2011 in Sunnyside, Woodside & Queens.

St Sebastian's Catholic Grade School - Woodside

One Of The Leading Grade Schools In Queens

Woodside / June 14, 2010 / Queens Buzz. I just returned from a tour of St Sebastian’s grade school in the Woodside neighborhood of Queens. The school is one of about 55 Catholic grade schools in Queens. St Sebastian’s has an enrollment of between 400 and 450 students from nursery through the eighth grade. And the school’s student body scores highly compared with the nation on standardized education tests covering math, reading comprehension and writing.

In this report we provide a brief history of St Sebastian’s, an overview of it’s academic, athletic and other programs, and include related information pertaining to Catholic grade schools in the Queens area. Included in this report is information about St Sebastian’s tuition, enrollment fees and a summary time line of the enrollment application process [scroll down / scan the headlines to find the information you’re seeking].

Click this link to read the rest of the story and view the photos of St Sebastian's Catholic Grade School in Woodside.